COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU THIS AUGUST! No Kidding!
ONE VOICE is a documentary that tells the story of language, culture, perseverance and love. Kamehameha High School Principal Julian Ako recently expressed it succinctly as "the story of our people's struggle to restore the vibrancy of our culture and language to the nation and the world. There are so many valuable messages that are shared in this documentary. Maika'i loa! We can all be proud of this work."
The Kamehameha Schools Song Contest, a tradition nearly 90 years in the making, is a one-of-a-kind presentation of Hawaiiain language, song and dance. The melodies of acapella choral music performed in harmony by hundreds of high school students are unforgettable. Filmed in HIGH DEFINITION, this feature length documentary follows student song leaders of the Kamehameha Schools as they experience the trials and tribulations of competition in this annual high school event. A unique contest placed in a unique setting, the audience is lead through a process that shares a love for community, passion for Hawaiian music, and the story of a people who nearly lost their language and culture.
ONE VOICE captures the emotional effort it takes to prepare for the competition held in March 2008. The theme that year was ‘Ola Ka ‘Olelo ‘Oiwi O Ka ‘Aina – celebrating Hawaiian Language revitalization. The viewing audience will experience Hawaiian culture not only as it lives in the children and their families today, but also as it has survived, grown and flourished in our Islands. By the time the documentary reaches the culminating performance, the audience will be just as invested in who wins the competition as the students themselves.
The Song Contest has been an important tradition of Kamehameha since the first annual competition in 1921. Miss Laura Brown, a director of music at Kamehameha between 1926 and 1947, stated that “the objective of the song contest are to build up the repertoire of the best in Hawaiian music for the cultural heritage of any student who attends Kamehameha; to develop leadership, cooperation and good class spirit; and to give students the use of their singing voices and to give them pleasure in singing as a means of expression.” Today, the Song Contest represents a proud tradition spanning 89 years of Kamehameha’s history.
ONE VOICE is an Executive Production of Juniroa Productions, Inc. and Pacific Islanders in Communications. PIC receives primary funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private not-for-profit that distributes federal funds to public broadcasting.
Cast
Students of the Kamehameha Schools
Executive Producers
- Producers:
Heather Haunani Giugni was born in the Territory of Hawai'i and raised both in Hawai'i and in Washington D.C. She is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools and has dedicated her life to Hawaiian media content. She is a founding member of PIC, a past board member of 'OLELO (public access television), a present board member of the Bishop Museum and is behind an effort to create a film and video archive for Hawaii. - Ruth Bolan – Pacific Islanders in Communications - has been the Executive Director of PIC since 2005. Under her guidance, she has helped to make it a prosperous and creative organization supporting Pacific Island media content and talent. Ruth comes from a performing arts background and is a 30 year veteran of the film and television industry and has produced for "American Playhouse" and HBO.
Crew
- Director:
Lisette Marie Flanary – Lehua Films - is a talented director who has great passion for Hawaiian storytelling. Her love for hula is celebrated in her documentaries. Her film "Na Kamalei", which followed Robert Cazimero's halau through the Merrie Monarch Festival process, has won many awards. ONE VOICE is Lisette's third project about Hawai'i's native people. We are grateful to her for helping us bring these stories to a global audience through her documentary skills. Lisette recently moved to Hawaiʻi from New York City to work at the Academy for Creative Media. - Camera Operators:
Brian Wilcox lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. He excels as a documentary cinematographer. He knows the equipment, listens to the dialogue, understands the story and works in concert with the Director to create beautiful images. He is PIC's go-to shooter. - Na’alehu Anthony – Paliku Productions - is a Hawaiian filmmaker, cinematographer and navigator on the Hokule'a, our Hawaiian voyaging canoe. He is a committed individual who works tirelessly in Hawaiian media. He is the creator of OIWI Video on Demand and the Executive Producer of Aha'i 'Olelo Ola.
- Unit Production Manager:
Jennifer Tracey – Tracey Productions - hails originally from the state of Maryland but has lived in Hawai'i for over 20 years. She has worked on features, commercials and documentaries throughout the state of Hawai'i. She loves production but she really loves saving animals with an emphasis on cats. - Audio:
John McFadden - John's Hawaiian roots are found on the island of Lana'i. Born and raised on O'ahu, John is one of the leading sound men in Hawai'i. He is a consummate professional and delivers a quality product. - Associate Producer:
Renea C. Stewart - of Juniroa Productions is sensitive to our Hawaiian culture and supports the Native effort to educate the world about this special place. Renea is a producer who specializes in still photography and is the official photographer of the 2010 Merrie Monarch Festival. - Post Editor:
Zelda Greenstein - Zelda is an award-winning editor who lives and works in New York City. - Executive Producers: Pacific Islanders in Communications & Juniroa Productions, Inc.